Column: Turning the mind to a tale of tragedy and romance

Carol Forster

I was expecting it to take longer, but completed it this week, to my surprise!

This time, unlike my usual light-hearted humour, you will find tragedy and passion as the story of Anna MacDougall unfolds.

A short story, it’s set in both Italy and Scotland, so two beautiful backdrops to the tale.

Putting yourself in Anna’s shoes, you’ll see where her life takes her and how destiny pans out for her too.

Writing it has been a joy and it pretty much wrote itself once I had the key characters firmly in mind.

Drawing from personal experience, but also imagination, I found, much like an actor, that once you get into a character, you start to believe in that person and they almost become real for you.

It was, in essence, a different writing experience to the usual humorous stuff.

As you step inside the character, you really begin to imagine how they think or what they would do in different situations.

It’s fascinating to see a story unfold which you are creating.

I’ve also discovered a liking for short stories. Long novels are precious but there is something satisfying about a manageable chunk of reading that nonetheless gives you an escape from the humdrum of life.

In our busy routines, it’s also a practical way to enjoy reading, as you can wedge it between getting on with stuff.

My latest short story is a simple and old-fashioned tale of intense love.

It doesn’t aim to be outrageous or salacious, but will touch the hearts of anyone of a romantic nature who likes a spot of gentle escapism.

Spread over several different time periods, it plots Anna MacDougall’s life and loves.

And, of course, Scotland is the perfect location for a romantic novel with its soulful sea lochs, isles and Scottish clans and the Oban area is spectacularly so. Italy is also a perfect setting for all things romantic.

So, I’ll leave Anna MacDougall’s tale for you to explore for yourselves. I hope all you romantics out there enjoy it.